Light of Day, Day of Darkness
by Scytherageroses
Summary: If we go down, at least it'll be together. Zhuge Dan/OC.
1. Chapter 1

Just a little something to get my writing juices flowing again. Plus, they're such a cute...semi-couple.

* * *

"So..what should I do?"

His dark brown eyes met with mine, but I was silent, letting him contemplate.

We were inside Shouchun Castle, where he was placed Lord, and he had chosen me to be his Lady. Even if there wasn't anything remotely romantic about us.

We were resigned to spend the rest of our lives together, however. Considering our friendship went far past romance.

I loved him, I truly did.

But I had no idea where to go from here.

Sima Zhao and Jia Chong were rising at a scarily rapid speed, and I knew they had their eyes on Danny.

I would never let them have him.

A Wei, a Cao loyalist, the last line of defense in the Zhuge clan, it's no wonder they deemed him a threat.

In fact, he was such a threat, that it sent shivers down Jia Chong's spine.

How dangerous their first meeting was. Chong, the son of the staunch Wei loyalist, Jia Kui, and Danny, the cousin of Zhuge Liang.

One was well loved by the people, while the other was feared.

One smiled often, while the other frowned.

One had an aura of light, the other of dark.

So when their eyes met, it was like lightning in the sky.

And Chong realized that he could not survive so long as the light still existed.

Yet, I was living proof that Zhuge Dan could exist in the darkness.

With my broken soul, the darkness inside me, instead of turning away, he simply embraced me, and willingly drowned in it.

"If you're going to stay broken, instead of picking up the pieces and putting you back together, can I revel in your misery?"

At first, I questioned him. Why would he willingly suffer?

With a smile, he replied,"Because it's better to suffer with someone than being alone. I'm already on a sinking ship, let's go down together."

And that was when I decided that I'd never let him go.

I guess he assumed that whatever he did, he was going to die. Perhaps he wanted to cover his last days with bandages, rather than fix them.

"Hey."

I walked up to him as he sat at his table, overlooking the Emperor's decree.

It said to kill Sima Zhao. The tyrannical son of Sima Yi. A man I had respected, years ago.

But the times had changed. I would have never followed him had I realized what he had become.

Betrayal was something I never liked. Something I never agreed with. Something I couldn't stand. How could I follow?

Danny and I looked at each other.

"What should I do?"

I looked down at the eyepatch I wore on my thigh. Letting my fingers run down it. The same material I touched all those years ago, and all those moments I spent with Xiahou Dun.

Our loyalty to Wei..now it was on the line again.

"The Emperor is using you..."

He looked into my eyes.

"But I can't deny a request from the Emperor."

I looked away in sadness. Then I approached him and cradled his head tenderly.

"He is using your feelings for Sima Zhao for his own personal gain. You can't let him manipulate you like this."

He sighed, and closed his eyes, leaning into me like a puppy. Likewise was his name.

"Danny..please..."

I hated to beg. I knew I was stronger than that, but I couldn't afford to lose Zhuge Dan.

He looked at my eyes. The sadness in them, and folded up the document.

"Will you follow me? To anywhere I go?"

"As if you needed to ask."

"Normally, I'd say, I'd rather do things on my own, but...I need you by my side."

I lifted him up and wrapped my arms around him.

"I need you by mine. I can't let you do this."

Angrily, I ripped up the document, to Danny's shock.

"You..you can't do that! It's treason!"

I shook my head. "And it's not right to use manipulation to use people's emotions for their own personal gain."

I had seen this unfold before. I remembered Diaochan and Wang Yun's plan. How she thrived on Lu Bu's emotions to betray a man who claimed to love her.

For the good of the land?

No betrayal is worth anything.

A whore is still a whore.

I couldn't forgive the Emperor. Even if he wore the name Cao, he was scum.

My beloved Cao Cao is spinning in his grave. Spinning in an abyss, sinking in oblivion.

The Emperor wore the sins on his shoulders, and I felt not one ounce of sympathy. Not that he chose to involve Danny into this.

"If the Emperor finds out about this..."

"...Then I'll kill him."

I took a hold of my weapons and added,"Nobody takes Zhuge Dan away from me."

He looked at me in fright.

But then that changed to love.

"You're perfect."

"Perfection is overrated."

I sighed.

If we go down, at least, it'll be together.


	2. Chapter 2

I remember it like it was just yesterday.

The Emperor came to visit us.

He saw the scroll, his Decree, ripped to shreds on the floor by Danny's throne.

The one I built, and the mess I had made.

Anger was written on his face. Defiance was on mine.

"You..two dare betray me?!"

"No. I did. You leave him out of this."

Because I refused to let Danny pay for my sins.

We said we'd suffer together, but this time, it was my doing, I deserved all the pain.

"How dare you?! You of all people! You've served the Cao family, where does your loyalty stand?!"

"My loyalty died with Cao Cao. You're nothing."

If looks could kill, I'd be dead in an instant-the oldest cliche in the book.

And yet I held my ground.

He held his sword as if to strike.

And yet I held my ground.

Danny looked at me in fear.

Still, I wouldn't falter.

"Please...stop."

"No."

Then I threw a weapon at the Emperor.

Just as Dong Zhuo had done to Cao Cao.

All those years ago.

And like Cao Cao, I turned my back and kneeled. Holding my arms out as if to say,"Then come on and do it."

I smirked.

The Emperor held up the new weapon.

The Sword of Heaven.

Cao Cao's beloved sword.

"Why do you hesitate?"

"Didn't I commit a horrible crime? I ripped up your official order. Aren't you gonna kill me?"

I taunted him.

As if I wanted him to kill me.

Oh if only I could feel it...for a second..

The sword impaling me. My skin being ripped apart. Designing these walls with my blood.

The cold steel burning against my hot flesh..

Bones crunching...turning to dust.

Hollowing screams...

The thought simply excited me!

Oh if only I could feel such delight..

But the Emperor dropped the Sword.

"Forget it. You're not worth my time."

And with that, he walked away.

With the knowledge that my eyes were right on him. And should he even think of making one step towards Danny...

...Heaven save his soul.

"You're insane.."

I looked into Danny's eyes with warmth. Then I embraced him. I held him tight, and he wrapped his loving arms around me.

"But...I love you for it."

I laughed.

"I love you too."

We both looked at the Sword of Heaven that lay planted on the blue carpet. It stood right in front of Danny's throne, and I left his embrace to pick it up.

"He wanted me to have it when he died. He said I was the only one worthy. But I didn't want to wield it. I only kept it for the memories."

"Are you ok here? We're not in Luoyang." he said.

"I am fine. Cao Cao's throne and his castle is kept under my supervision and my care."

"Are you ok not being there?" he asked.

"We're not far from Luoyang."

"I mean, are you ok not being at home?" he asked.

I looked at him.

"Yes. My home is wherever you are."

"Even in hell?"

"Especially in hell. Into the deepest depths of oblivion."

"Gods, you really are crazy."

I smiled. So did he.

"As if you'd have me any other way?"

He sat on his throne, and I sat on his lap, facing him, with my arms around his neck.

We embraced again, and he said,"Of course. I like you just the way you are. That twisted little psychopath."

I laughed a hearty laugh.

Of course.

We're simply made for each other.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey.."

"Hey.."

The voice grew more impatient.

A fingernail tapped my shoulder, and I groaned in annoyance.

But that annoyance didn't last for long.

I knew Zhuge Dan head to toe. I knew what his touch was like, so it was a welcome sight to open my eyes to.

Even if I was awoken from a wonderful dream.

One of a time I lost. My special time with Wei. Peace had come to the land. There wasn't a reason to fight anymore.

We all lay on a blanket in the garden, on a warm summer night, Zhenji and Cai Wenji providing a beautiful and serene soundtrack.

Everyone was happy.

So, so happy.

But alas, this is my reality. The men of Wei are long gone, and have become men of hero and legend through the desolate halls of Luoyang.

The land the Cao's fought so hard to create, falling quicker and quicker out of their reach.

And here I was, holding on to their fleeting memories.

At first, I was alone. No one to share my tale with, no one to spend my time with.

But that all changed when I met Danny.

Now I can't imagine spending a single second away from him.

And now, there's a chance I might possibly lose him..

But now, I'm not going to think about that.

How can I, when Danny is at my bedside, holding my hand, with a sweet, almost childlike expression on his face.

"I disrupted your slumber. I apolog-"

I stopped him with a finger to his lips.

Slumber is nothing, I'd like to spend more hours awake with him.

"It is fine. I'd rather not dream the dream I just had again."

No, because I can't stand it. Dreaming of loves, of friends who are gone.

Their memories bring nothing but pain. The knowledge that they aren't here anymore.

I watched as he got into the bed beside me.

He curled to his side and said,"Tell me a bedtime story."

I looked at him like he was crazy.

And maybe he was.

"Ok..what do you want to hear?" I asked.

He looked up at the ceiling, in deep thought, when he replied,"Tell me about the Battle of Guandu. About how Lord Cao Cao was outnumbered by Yuan Shao, but still managed a victory."

I smiled. What a ridiculous request.

But Danny's smile was enough to melt my resolve. Perhaps this was why they called him the Dog of the Zhuge.

Loyalty.

Cuteness.

I wondered what kind of dog he was. At first I said Yorkie, small, but not without a big mouth.

Then I thought Pitbull. Big and strong. Ferocious.

But that didn't work.

Surely not a Poodle. That seemed more Zhang He's forte, if he wasn't a butterfly, of course.

"What are you thinking about?"

I looked down to see Danny, his head on my lap, his eyes looking up at me.

Those big puppy eyes..

I sighed. How did I go so long in life without him...

And so I told him about Guandu.

About how Yue Jin volunteered to run head first into the Yuan troops.

How Guan Yu beheaded Yuan Shao's best officers.

How we were outnumbered.

The taking of Wuchao and Baima.

Cao Pi's taking of Lady Zhen, and the ensuing black eye that followed it.

"Wei fulfilled all of Guan Yu's wishes, and thus, he was allowed to leave. But, my husband was livid. He thought that Guan Yu was spitting on everything that Cao Cao had given him, and he was ready to chase him, had Zhang Liao not grabbed him."

"He-"

I stopped.

Before I could end my story, Danny had fallen asleep.

I laughed. How adorable this man could be.

So ruthless on the battlefield. Poised, composed.

And now he's a puppy laying on my lap.

He's in dreamworld now. Wearing a smile. Is he dreaming of our perfect world?

I could only wonder.

But perhaps it's best if I didn't know.

I'll leave my memories to me, and he'll leave his fantasies to him.

I let my fingers stroke his hair softly, waiting to join him in slumber.


End file.
